The Army Boxing Thread

[binnie]

Let's have some predictions for the big fights coming up:

Manny Pacquio TKO Barrera in the late rounds.

I'm a big Barrera fan, but he's had too many wars to win this one. However, if Manny isn't focussed like his last fight, then Barrera will win.

Taylor UD Pavlick.

Not been impressed win Jermain "lucky boy" Taylor since the Hopkins fight, but I think he will up his game here to silence his critics. Unless Pavlick can develop angles, and get Taylor against the ropes I just don't see him winning. That being said, if Jermain doesn't up his game he's going to take a beating.

Holyfield UD Sultan Igbramiov (yes, I spelt it wrong).

I want Holyfield to win this, I really do and this prediction is more heart than head. If Holyfield boxes smart and keeps at range, and then ties Sultan up when he comes in then he will win. I'm not too sure he can beat this guy if they decide to trade punches.

Cotto UD Mosely.

Mosely is an amazing fighter, and he is as fast as hell. But he is also old, and hasn't been in with anyone who works and fights like Cotto for quite some years, so I'm going for an upset here.

Mayweather UD Hatton.

My heart says "Hatton's gonna get close, he's going to throw some of those crippling bodyshots, and spend all night with his head on Floyd's chest, eventaully wearing him down." But my head knows that ain't going to happen. Floyd will move around him and throw four, five, six punch combinations to his head all night. And Ricky will take them all night, and just keep coming. The sad thing is that I just don't think that Hatton comes forward fast enough to get near enough to Mayweather. I hope that I am wrong

I'm not going to predict Kessler-Calzaghe as it's the only one I really care about, and don't want to jinx it

I think that we are in for some good fights though...

[binnie]

Junior Witter retained his WBC light-welter title on Friday, and I thought he looked really impressive.

He's the one man in that division who could really challenge Ricky Hatton, and he's been calling him out for years.

That would be a huge fight over here.

Despire an early carreer loss of Zab Judah, Witter has been a solid fighter; not always spectacular, but solid nonetheless.

One to watch in the future.

[binnie]

TAYLOR CHALLENGES CALZAGHE. From http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/


by Peter Shuttleworth, Wales On Sunday


JERMAIN TAYLOR last night handed Joe Calzaghe the perfect multi-million pound incentive to destroy Mikkel Kessler.

Taylor has ‘promised’ Calzaghe a bumper transatlantic ‘mega-fight’ as reward if the Welsh hero KOs Kessler in their super-middleweight unification showdown in six weeks time.

American ace Taylor is considering a trip to Cardiff to be ringside at The Millennium Stadium to show he is serious about clashing with Calzaghe next year – on either side of the Atlantic.

Taylor’s promoter Lou DiBella will demand £3m from Calzaghe’s boss Frank Warren to persuade undisputed middleweight champ Taylor to step up a weight for the big bucks bonanza.

“If the money was right, I’d pack up the wife and kids and get on the first plane to the UK,” said Taylor.


“Joe Calzaghe is one of the world’s top, top fighters and those are the guys I want to seek and destroy.


“He is a stylish southpaw with substance; he’s a great boxer but I will never shy away from fighting anyone.”


Taylor, 28, lays his middleweight titles on the line next weekend against Kelly Pavlik in Atlantic City, but should both and he and Calzaghe’s unbeaten records remain intact, Taylor is demanding the match be made.


Taylor was Calzaghe’s top target for his November 3 show and the record-breaking WBO super-middleweight king was due at ringside for Taylor’s last fight against Cory Spinks in May.


But, although doing promotional work in New York the day before, Calzaghe decided against travelling to Memphis at the 11th hour as Taylor’s camp priced themselves out of the market.


Taylor, though, insists: “Taylor against Calzaghe would be a big money fight as it is not just two of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters, but USA versus the UK and that’s always a special occasion.”

[binnie]

I have to say that the current war of words between Hatton and Mayweather is laughable.

These two are not cut out to be wordsmiths, lol.

I know they're trying to sell the fight but it does make it seems like more of circus event, IMO...

[binnie]

From bbc.co.uk/sport


De la Hoya wants to fight Hatton

De la Hoya wants three more fights before hanging up his gloves
Boxing legend Oscar de la Hoya plans to put his retirement on ice and set up a showdown with Ricky Hatton next year.
The 34-year-old American has mapped out a three-fight plan before quitting boxing for good and it could end with him facing Briton Hatton next autumn.

De la Hoya's plan needs Hatton to beat Floyd Mayweather in their upcoming clash on 8 December in Las Vegas.

"Let's put it this way, I'm crossing my fingers for Hatton," De la Hoya told BBC1's Inside Sport.


"I believe that Ricky Hatton has a wonderful shot."

De la Hoya's Golden Boy company is promoting the sell-out clash between Mayweather and Hatton at the MGM Grand Arena.

But he still has plans to continue his career inside the ring.

It isn't out of the question that I'll meet Ricky Hatton next year

Oscar de la Hoya

"I'm not retired and I believe that my body can still handle the big fights," he said.

"I want to fight three times next year, with two big fights in May and September. It isn't out of the question that I'll meet Ricky Hatton next year.

"I'm used to fighting once a year. I'm at the tail-end of my career but I feel that if I can have one tune-up fight first, get the ring-rust out of me, get into the rhythm of things, then I can have two other big fights in May and September.

"Then I think we'll be good for hanging up those gloves and calling it a career."

Mexican-American hero De la Hoya has won 10 world titles in six divisions across 43 fights and suffered just five defeats in his illustrious career, all of them to genuine top-grade campaigners in their respective weight divisions.

His last win came against Ricardo Mayorga for the WBC light middleweight title in May 2006, but he subsequently lost the belt in the richest fight of all time to Mayweather, almost a year to the day.

[ALinChainz]

Youre right Bin ... but I wish Hatton didn't hold so much.

The more I watch him, the more it bothers me.

I think Pavlik has a good shot, as it seems like Taylor is looking past him.

I say the Mayweather-Hatton and Calzaghe-Kessler are the best of the lot, but all good fights indeed and looking forward to them.

[binnie]

Originally posted by ALinChainz
Youre right Bin ... but I wish Hatton didn't hold so much.

The more I watch him, the more it bothers me.

I think Pavlik has a good shot, as it seems like Taylor is looking past him.

I say the Mayweather-Hatton and Calzaghe-Kessler are the best of the lot, but all good fights indeed and looking forward to them.

The more I think about it, the more I think that Pavlick has a GREAT shot: I'm no longer as confident that Taylor will win as, like you say, he is looking past Pavlick, and clearly has trouble making 160 these days.

Hatton does hold a lot, but sometimes you've got bend rules to win fights: Ali used to lean on his opponents a lot, or rest his left hand on their face to measure them up; Holyfield buts A LOT etc etc....

It's easy to criticise the other way and say that guys like Hopkins and Mayweather rely on their skills too much and don't really fight enough - I know that's not illegal, but it makes for an equally dull fight.

If I was Hatton going into this one, I'd come in, grab hold of Mayweather, butt-him, elbow-him, do anything to get the upper hand. I really think that rule bending is an accepted part of most sports, the key is not to get caught, lol....

Having said that, Hatton could take a lump-hammer into the ring and still loose this fight: Mayweather will beat him all night, and Ricky will keep comin' - at the end on round 12 he will have a champion's heart with no championship belt.

[ALinChainz]

Report: Boxer Mosley accused of doping

September 28, 2007

NEW YORK (TICKER) -- If a report by SI.com turns out to be true, the story of "Sugar" Shane Mosley is going leave a sour taste in the mouths of boxing fans everywhere.

According to the report published Friday, Mosley used Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroids "the clear" and "the cream" as part of a doping regimen before a 2003 fight against Oscar De La Hoya.

The report stated that BALCO investigator Jeff Novitzky alleged that Mosley began using those two drugs, as well as EPO, two months before the light middleweight championship fight won by Mosley.

Mosley, a BALCO client, was subpoenaed in the investigation and testified before the grand jury in 2003. He has denied doping and has never tested positive.

According to SI.com, evidence seized during the BALCO raids showed Mosley had blood work done to measure his hematocrit level, the volume of red blood cells, at 44.

In a calendar with his file, the date of July 26 was circled, accompanied by the word "start" and the letter "e," the web site reported, and the boxer's level increased to 52.2 by August 8.

"Most men are in the low 40s," anti-doping expert Dr. Gary Wadler said in the report. "Anything over 50 is considered off the charts."

According to the calendar, Mosley's final dose of EPO was administered on September 8, five days before the fight.

Blood doping has been an increasing problem in cycling and running, where athletes have boosted red blood cells to increase the capacity to carry oxygen to the muscles.

Mosley is scheduled to fight Miguel Cotto on November 10 in a WBC welterweight title bout.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=txmosleybalco&prov=st&type=lgns

[DlocRoth]

Pavlik all day, babay.

[ALinChainz]

I agree. Pavlik is going to be a bitch for Taylor.

And I wonder what Oscar's opinion is on this news about Mosely, he helped him get ready for Mayweather.

[DlocRoth]

Yeah, Oscar will have to wash his hands of him. Too bad, Mosley helped get him into great shape.....


Not to mention..will he comment at all about their fight?

[ALinChainz]

Would seem so .... Oscar cries foul everytime he loses.

[ALinChainz]

Younger Hearns stays unbeaten by stopping Kamya

By DAVID PORTER, Associated Press Writer

September 29, 2007

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Middleweight Ronald Hearns remained undefeated by stopping Robert Kamya in the first round Saturday night on the undercard of the Jermain Taylor-Kelly Pavlik middleweight title bout.

Hearns (16-0), son of former middleweight champion Thomas Hearns, showed off his speed and punching ability from the opening bell and sent Kamya (16-8) to the canvas twice, first with a straight right and later with a left hook.

After the second knockdown, referee Sam Viruet stopped the fight at 2:42.

Kamya became the 13th of Hearns' 16 opponents to fail to go the distance.

Thomas Hearns, a seven-time champion at divisions ranging from welterweight to cruiserweight, last fought in 2006.

In other bouts Saturday, welterweight Carlos Quintana returned to the scene of his only defeat and easily stopped Christopher Henry of Barbados at 2:46 of the fourth round to improve to 24-1.

The last time Quintana fought in Boardwalk Hall was last December when he lost to Miguel Cotto for the vacant WBA title.

Two Philadelphia heavyweights won bouts on the undercard. Robert Hawkins (22-9) won a unanimous decision over Terry Smith (30-4) of Little Rock, Ark. Smith has lost three of five fights since winning eight in a row on the heels of a loss to Calvin Brock in May 2004.

Hawkins had lost six of seven bouts.

In the evening's other heavyweight bout, Chazz Witherspoon improved to 20-0 -- barely breaking a sweat -- by stopping Ron Guerrero of Corpus Christi, Texas, in the fifth round.

Earlier in the evening, light heavyweight Omar Sheika (27-8), of Paterson, N.J., twice hit Tiwon Taylor below the belt, the second time knocking Taylor through the ropes and nearly onto the first row.

Though Taylor (26-14-1), of Greensboro, N.C., fought gamely, he lost when the fight was stopped at 2:25 of the fourth round.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-taylor-pavlikundercard&prov=ap&type=lgns

[ALinChainz]

Taylor-Pavlik

round-by-round

By Kevin Iole

Sunday, Sep 30, 2007 3:06 am EDT

ROUND 1

Taylor comes out fast and throws an overhand right.

Pavlik connects with a jab and a right. Taylor is firing hard shots. They're locked up in the center of the ring as the pace slows just a bit halfway through.

Taylor lands a double left and a right. Pavlik comes back with a hard right, but Taylor answers. Pavlik connects with a left-right.

Taylor's round, 10-9

ROUND 2

They're fighting rough inside as the round begins.

Right hand by Taylor hurts Pavlik. Taylor lands several punches in a combination and Pavlik goes down.

Right hand by Taylor staggers Pavlik again. Taylor is teeing off big-time. Pavlik is in serious jeopardy.

Taylor lands a left and then a right. There are 30 seconds left and Pavlik may not make it. Pavlik is bleeding from the nose and mouth as the round ends.

Taylor's round, 10-8

ROUND 3

Right hand by Pavlik early backs Taylor into a corner and wobbles the champion. Pavlik lands a left uppercut. Taylor counters with a right and then they clinch. Pace is slower than in the first two rounds.

Combination to the body and head by Pavlik backs Taylor up. He seems a little wobbly. Great counter left-right off the ropes by Taylor fights his way out of the corner.

Pavlik's round, 10-9

ROUND 4

They're trading jabs. Pavlik is moving forward. Taylor rips a hook low and is warned by referee Steve Smoger.

Pavlik backs Taylor to a corner, but Taylor fights his way out. Not many punches of significance are being landed. Hard right off the ropes from Taylor. Taylor lands a jab. Pavlik lands a right, but Taylor fires back with a hard right.

Taylor's round, 10-9

ROUND 5

Pavlik is jabbing at Taylor, who is circling and not punching much as the round begins. Taylor flicks his jab as Pavlik stalks forward. Lead right by Taylor lands. Taylor double-hooks to the body. Hard right by Taylor. Taylor jabs again. Pavlik isn't throwing nearly enough punches. Good combination by Taylor at the bell.

Taylor's round, 10-9

ROUND 6

Pavlik is stalking but not throwing. It's become a persistent problem. Hard jab by Taylor and then a double hook to the body by Taylor. Right hand by Pavlik backs Taylor to the ropes. Right hand by Pavlik doesn't seem to faze Taylor. Taylor's left eye is swelling. Right hand by Taylor lands. Taylor pops a few jabs. Taylor lands a right and a hard left.

Taylor's round, 10-9

ROUND 7

Right hand by Pavlik lands. They're swapping jabs.

Taylor comes out of a crouch and lands a right and then a left. Pavlik tries to find the range for his right. Hard jab by Pavlik. Another jab and then a right by Pavlik. Hard right by Pavlik and Taylor is badly hurt. Taylor takes two rights and Pavlik forces him to the corner. Pavlik fires and Taylor slumps down the ropes. Referee Steve Smoger stops the fight and Kelly Pavlik wins the WBC-WBO middleweight titles.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/blog/box_experts/post/Taylor-Pavlik-round-by-round;_ylt=ApRk1XdK86z0Cg8mDmbe1VuUxLYF?urn=box,47292

[ALinChainz]

This fight was tough to score. HBO's Harold Lederman had Pavlik up but a point or two but the judges at ringside all had Taylor up by at least three byt the time of the stoppage.

A war.